In 1914, outer areas of Incheon City (including former city centre of Gwangyo-dong of old Incheon) and Bupyeong County were joined together under the name Bucheon. In 1931, Gyenam township (myeon, 계남면) was renamed Sosa township (myeon, 소사면). In 1936, the westernmost part of Bucheon which were part of old Incheon (including the former Incheon city centre of Gwangyo-dong) was incorporated in Incheon City and in 1940 some other part of old Incheon belonging to Bucheon Country was incorporated in Incheon again while part of old Bupyeong was annexed to Incheon at the same time. In 1941, Sosa township promoted to eup (town) status.[1]

January 1, 1963, when the great expansion of Seoul was implemented, several districts were combined to Yeongdeungpo-gu (영등포구) of Seoul Metropolitan City as below.[2]

There are a number of markets in Bucheon, including the traditional market that runs along the south side of Bucheon Station, and a smaller traditional market that is located between Songnae Station and Jungdong Station. Bucheon Station has an underground shopping center, a small Starbucks, and an E-Mart with a small Kyobo Book store on the top floor.

There are many department store. In the Jung Dong area there is a Lotte Department store (formally GS Square) with a HomePlus located just across the street. On the Jung Dong and Sang Dong cusp there are a number of shopping places including the Hyundai Department Store, E-mart, and UPLEX (formally known as "The Mall"). UPLEX has a CGV movie cinema. The main Bucheon intercity bus terminal is attached to a shopping center called Newcore and it has a grocery store called Kim's Club located on the ground floor. There is also a movie cinema called Primus (프리머스) located in Newcore. There is also a large HomePlus located beside Newcore with a Save Zone shopping center opposite it.

Songnae Station has a Toona Shopping Mall, which mostly sells clothing. Yeokgok Station has a Homeplus. There is also a Homeplus in Northern Bucheon, nearer to Bucheon Stadium.

The busiest areas for bars and restaurants are located by Bucheon Station, Lotte Department Store (formally GS Square), and Hyundai Department Store.

There are a few foreign food restaurants and bars in Bucheon such as Nicolia (located in Jung Dong) and 2 bars near Hyundai department store called The Park and Rhythm and Booze.[3] Both bars are popular with the local expat community and both have events to celebrate various foreign holidays. They both have pool tables and dart boards, live music, DJs, and sports events on TV.

There are also three Indian and Nepalese restaurants; Masala and Tandoor are located in Jung Dong near Hyundai Department Store and Annapurna located near Bucheon Station. And there are several restaurants which serve steaks, pasta and different kinds of western food in Jung Dong area. There are Ashley, Outback stake house, VIPs (located in the Uplex mall.) and seafood restaurant (near Newcore).

There are few local cafe or restaurants providing English menu, or clerks who can speak English. one of them is Cafe Mosaic,[4] located near Bucheon University, famous with hand-made pizza and burgers with various drinks.

There are a number of churches in Bucheon, including a Full Gospel Church near Lotte Department Store and the English-language "Bucheon Onnuri English Ministry" (BOEM)[5] in Sang Dong. There is also a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints located a short ways north of Bucheon Station. Evangelism and mission is a key expression of Christianity in the Bucheon churches.